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Injectable naloxone soon to be available in most pharmacies

Currently, the BC Centre for Disease Control’s Toward the Heart program provides take-home naloxone kits, and firefighters are now also allowed to carry the kits. The College of Pharmacists of BC, together with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC, have been active proponents of making naloxone more widely available without prescription, and the federal ruling now allows the colleges to move forward with changes to provincial drug scheduling.

As with any legislative change, some time is needed for implementation. Fortunately, because the College of Pharmacists of BC has been working on this for some time already, this College anticipates that naloxone will soon be available in most pharmacies. Currently in Canada, only the injectable form of naloxone is available. Due to the delivery system, it will be classified as a Schedule II drug under the Drug Scheduling Regulations for now. Similar to Tylenol No.1, it may be purchased without a prescription but will be kept behind the counter to allow opportunity for proper patient counselling.